


It Gets Better

by InfernalPume



Category: Guild Wars
Genre: Asura - Freeform, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-23
Packaged: 2018-07-16 18:12:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7278520
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InfernalPume/pseuds/InfernalPume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Buuru's life is coming to a close, though its a bit early to be perfectly honest. Still, he cant say he really minds per se, but the other geniuses in his life dont exactly share his opinion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It Gets Better

There were times when things sucked. Sucked a lot, actually. In fact, Buuru’s entire life had been an almost constantly like that. Even after the addition of Raast things had a way of bumping up and down and driving him off the wall. But in recent days Buuru found that things were…almost alright. Twenty five years since his initial meltdown, twenty five years that dipped between the happiest he could ever feel and the lowest he could possibly bear with little to no warning. All except for now, that was. An old professor had once told Buuru that after a certain point the Eternal Alchemy just runs out of things to toss at you, and that time seemed to have snuck up on Buuru without him noticing it at all. Yes, the past months had been blissfully boring in comparison to the eccentric life of backstabbing, drama, and explosions that he had come to accept were apart of his lot in life. It seemed those days were finally behind him, nothing but smooth sailing from now on.

 

“You’re dying Buuru.”

 

For a moment Buuru thought the physician was joking, and it was a pretty funny joke so he laughed, before realizing he was serious.

 

“What? Like…like I’m dying now?” he asked, “But I’m…I’m not even…”

 

The physician checked over his data crystal, nodding his head and sighing. “Its your heart, you’ve undergone a lot of stress in your life, correct?”

 

Buuru laughed again, then grunted as he realized that also wasn’t a joke.

 

“Well yeah,” he said, “But that can't kill can it?”

 

“In adolescence and small doses no,” the physician said, once again looking over his data, “But you have been having…episodes, regularly for the majority of your life. It has done a number on your circulatory system…I’d say you have about a month left.”

 

“…A month?” Buuru asked, rubbing his forehead, “Well, hrm.”

 

It wasn’t so much as a kick in the stomach than he had expected. Those big words ‘you’re dying’ didn’t seem to carry much weight to a man who used to hear it every day. But now it was different, now it wasn’t the voices in his head or a scorned rival bent on revenge, now it was irreversible, inescapable, and Buuru couldn’t force himself to care even a little.

  
Well, there was one thing.

 

“Raast is gonna kill me…” he mumbled, bringing a claw to his forehead.

 

There was some talk of operations, treatments, that sort of thing. Buuru took the small pamphlet and looked it over when he got home. From a statistics perspective it just seemed like a bad gamble.

 

Tossing the pamphlet in a garbage bin Buuru decided a visit to Raast's lab was in order. On the way he'd need to rehearse what exactly he was going to say to the man. Raast had been about ready to punch him the last time he had ‘died’ and while Buuru didn’t mind the passionate outbursts when he was younger he had just been diagnosed with a fatal heart condition. If Raast was pissed about him dying, he'd most definitely be furious if Buuru collapsed dead right in front of him.

  
As Buuru waited in a queue at the Metrica gate, he contemplated the fact that he still needed to make this walk at all. In all their years together, they still lived in separate labs. Buuru had never joined his krewe, and Raast had given up on asking. It was the sort of thing they could always talk about later. But now later wouldn’t come, would it?

 

Maybe that’s how he would start.

 

Upon arriving at the Golemagical Institute Buuru saw that everyone was going about their business. Many faces had come and gone over the years, most notably Sorren who was off with her own krewe now. Buuru wondered if he should let her know as well, they were sort of friends by the time they had parted ways, or at least that’s what he had hoped. He had a bit of time for that, he supposed that’s why doctors told you when you had a month left, give you some time to sort all that stuff.

 

As it was the krewe gave passive polite greetings, the sort you always offered to your kreweleader's paramour if you wanted a promotion. A quick conversation with an apprentice told Buuru that Raast was overlooking a supply request in his personal workspace. At least there'd be a bit of privacy.

 

“Raast?” he asked, knocking his knuckle against the arch that separated the station from the other krewemates.

 

Buuru was answered with a grunt, Raast not even looking up from his papers.

“Hey babe,” he said with a smirk, knowing how Raast detested that particular endearment.

  
The genius’s ears twitched, but he didn’t look up from his work. Fear tugged at the back of Buuru’s throat. This was the part where he had to tell him the bad news. Buuru opened his mouth, then quickly closed it. Raast hated when Buuru danced around things, hated when he sugar coated things, but also would hate the update no matter what Buuru did so what was he even supposed to do? With a deep breath he tried again.

 

“So,” he said, sitting down on a stool across his desk, “I was thinking…” what was he thinking exactly? “…well.”

 

“Spit it out, Buuru,” Raast said, putting down his papers to type something into a monitor.

 

Buuru swallowed, “Well, maybe…” he rubbed his neck, “Wanna move in with me?”

 

It was the first thing that came to mind, as it was something he had been thinking out on the way in. Raast froze in his work to look at Buuru for the first time, and again Buuru felt a spike of fear. He was going to be so cross with him when he found out…

 

“…is that a no?” Buuru found himself asking.

 

Raast shook his head.

 

“No, but this is unexpected,” he said, “What makes you want to do this now?”

 

“Well,” Buuru said, “I don’t know, I guess it’s getting to the time where we should be doing that right?”

 

It wasn’t a lie. You generally wanted to spend as much time with loved ones as you could when you were dying, it was the socially acceptable thing to do.

 

For a moment Raast contemplated this, and Buuru enjoyed imagining the arcane cogs working in his mind. The sudden sentimental thought made Buuru want to do something romantic, like reach for Raast’s hand. That might look suspicious, though.

 

“It would only be for a little bit,” he found himself adding.

 

This statement made Raast look up.

 

“What does that mean exactly?”

 

Glitch. Here it was, time to tell him.

 

“Only that we could just try it out,” Buuru said like an idiot, “You wouldn’t even move all your stuff…you just stay with me for…lets say a month.”

 

The moment to tell him had come and gone. Now whenever Buuru said anything, Raast would be angry for keeping it from him. It would only get worse as time went on, but Buuru could always make something up about wanting to wait until they were away from the krewe. Maybe they go on a date? Was that the sort of thing you announced over a date? He didn’t know.

 

Raast cleared his throat again, shaking Buuru from his thoughts.

 

“I suppose we could try that,” Raast said, “Though I still don’t know why you care all of a sudden.”

 

A few melodramatic sentiments came to mind, but Buuru ignored them.

 

“I dunno. I just started thinking about that stuff.”

 

Raast sighed and went back to his work, “I suppose I pack an overnight bag then?” he asked with a slight smirk, “Like a progeny?”

 

“You could view it that way,” Buuru said, "We can do our nails and talk about boys!"

 

Buuru rose to circle around Raast’s desk to drape himself across Raast’s shoulders. The genius grumbled irritably but Buuru knew that he just liked to grumble. He knew because Raast leaned back from his work to press the back of his head to Buuru’s cheek, silently accepting any affection he would give despite his supposed indifference.

 

Gently Buuru kissed along the ridge of Raast’s ear, then back to his cheek. The days where they would leap into each other and leave their clothing on the floor were long past. Such intense interactions were for the younger versions of themselves, but Buuru still allowed himself gentle interactions with the genius he loved. Pulling away the words to explain everything formed and died in his throat.

 

“How much longer are you going to work for?” he found himself asking instead.

 

Raast sighed as he thought, closing his eyes and checking off a list in his head. “For a few more hours, why?”

 

The question didn’t even make Buuru flinch. He was determined now to leave it until they were properly alone together.

 

“No reason,” he said pulling away, but leaving his claws on Raast’s shoulders and gently kneading his thumbs into the muscles of his back, “I just wanted to spend some time together, that’s all.”

 

With another sigh Raast wriggled his shoulders against the touch as he leaned his head back to look at Buuru.

 

“What’s gotten into you?” he asked, narrowing his eyes.

 

The sight made Buuru want to laugh. Raast was skimming his mind for anything that he might have forgotten, the lovable sod. Either of their birthdays, their anniversary, valentines day, all things that Buuru always managed o remember but Raast often drew a blank. It was always so funny seeing how annoyed he got when he realized he had forgotten something, how he begrudgingly accepted every romantic gesture of Buuru’s while silently swearing that next time- next time he wouldn’t be caught off guard.

 

Raast would really need to get ahold of these things once Buuru left him, Buuru would make sure to tell him that.

 

“How about you stop smirking and just tell me what you’re planning,” Raast said irritably, turning back to his work.

 

That made Buuru blush and bring up his hands.

 

“Not planning anything! I’m not!” he said, then for extra measure, “I know I say that…every time I’m planning something but this time I’m really not, promise!”

 

Though his back was to him now Buuru could almost feel Raast rolling his eyes. It was hard to wipe the smirk off his face, but Buuru managed.

 

“I’ll try to be done early, but no promises,” Raast said, “Two hours, at least.”

 

Buuru nodded and kissed his bald head, before making his way to the door. He could probably entertain himself for two hours. There was an unfinished project of his he could work on, but he needed spare parts to complete it. When did Klopp say he would be getting new stock in? Buuru tried to think, and was discouraged to remember nothing new would be in the shop for another two months. This made him groan irritably. Dreadfully inconvenient, this dying business.

 

It wasn’t a long walk back to his own lab.Quietly he entered the passcode and walked into the familiar quiet gloom of his home and workplace. Absently he noticed the garbage bin where he had thrown the pamphlet and opened it again. If he paid for the surgery he would live long enough for Klopp to restock, but he would be bedridden after that, wouldn’t he? No point there, really. Buuru placed the bit of informative paper on his desk before flopping into his hammock and staring at the ceiling.

 

What to do for two whole hours when he couldn’t work. He could read a book. Did Buuru even own any books anymore? A quick glance to what once had been a bookshelf told him he did not. Surveying the small workspace he found nothing else to entertain himself with.

  
All he could do was wait for Raast to come home. Pathetic, by the alchemy it was pathetic, but Buuru might as well get used to laying around in a state of boredom. Minutes ticked by, and before he realized it he was being jogged from sleep as Raast kicked his bedframe. Buuru jerked awake so suddenly the hammock rolled and dumped him on the floor. That probably didn't help, but Buuru was too busy grinning up at Raast.

 

“You’re early!” he said. Raast scowled at him.

 

“I’ve checked the calendar,” He informed him, “I’ve checked my calendar and looked through all my notes. There’s nothing special about today. If there is I was not aware of it, and I would appreciate it if you just told me.”

 

Again the moment to tell him arose. Here he was asking Buuru what was up and Buuru found himself hesitating.

 

“Moving in together is a big step,” Buuru said, getting up from the floor and going to take Raast's hands, “Even if its not all the way.”

 

Raast allowed himself to be drawn in, resting his hands on Buuru’s chest and looking up into his face. Meeting his gaze Buuru stroked a thumb across Raast’s cheek and leaned down to properly kiss him. There he held him for a moment, sighing and taking in his scent. This was the last thing he wanted to ever experience in his life, and he should say so, but instead he pulls away and goes to sit on the bed. Raast follows, sitting beside him and going to kiss him again.

 

This was Buuru’s favorite part, and he justified not telling Raast by saying they wouldn’t be kissing and touching like this now if Raast was yelling at him. Sometimes Raast yelled at him in these situations, but the yelling just added to the romance in Buuru’s opinion.

 

For a moment Raast pulled away to set his glasses on the desk, before pausing

 

“Buuru what is this?”

 

Buuru frowned and tried to pull him back down again.

 

“Just a pamphlet the physician gave me…” he said, “You can look through it later-“

 

“Yes but why would you need any of this?” He asked, slapping the pamphlet with the back of his claw, “Buuru what is-“

 

“Its nothing major!” Buuru said, putting his hands up in defense, then frowning, “Well, I guess it kinda is…depends how you see things right? Like its not like I’m sick or anything- can we maybe just have sex first then I tell you?”

 

“Buuru.”

 

Buuru flinched upon hearing his name spoken like this, and sighed. At this point there was no way to avoid telling him without lying outright, and he couldn’t do that to Raast.

 

“I’m dying.” He said, unable to look into Raast’s face, “Now uh if you’ll just come back-“

 

“You’re dying?” Raast demanded, taking a step back.

 

Here it came, he was going to get yelled at or punched or…but Raast didn’t look like he was going to do any of that. He looked almost…scared.

 

“You’re leaving me again…” he finally said in a voice uncharacteristically soft for Raast.

 

Buuru blinked, unsure how to answer that.

 

“Well…no,” he said, trying to pull Raast down again, “The first time was just a misunderstanding…this time its for real…”

 

Raast made a strange noise then, making Buuru stop pulling to see his face. It had been a sob, and even now Raast’s face was twisted with grief. He wasn’t even angry or anything just…sad.

 

“You cant just be dying you seem fine…” Raast pushed away from his arms to look at the pamphlet again, “You can…you can have procedures done you aren’t dying just in danger of dying…we don’t live in an age where a 60 year old genius just dies for no reason.”

 

Buuru sighed, “Do you want me to get the operation?” he asked, “It’ll be really expensive…”

 

From the way Raast looked at Buuru with utter disbelief Buuru got the sense he had said the wrong thing again. He supposed sex was off the table so might as well go on without tact.

 

“I mean like…you have a busted vacuum cleaner right? You don’t pay…what is this- 900 gold for a 50% chance of it working again, and at that only for a few weeks more right?”

 

There was another silence, and Buuru began to sweat nervously.

 

“You…” Raast finally said, as if he couldn’t believe he had to clarify, “You…aren’t a vacuum cleaner, Buuru.”

 

Buuru’s chuckle died when he saw Raast’s expression.

 

“Yeah well,” he mumbled, “It’s a metaphor, right?”

 

Raast let out an aggravated huff of air making Buuru flinch. “You’re getting that operation.” Raast said, pulling out a data crystal to type information onto a monitor, “Its nothing we cant handle, I can help you pay for it. Have you called the doctor? When can you make an appointment?”

 

Listening to all this Buuru blinked, “You know me I’m free all the time but…” he went to touch Raast’s sleeve, “You…you know that’s just a stall right? I’m still not gonna be around for much longer…”

 

If Raast heard that he didn’t feel he needed to justify it with a response.

 

“You’re going to be fine Buuru,” he said in that short demanding way that in the past always meant that Raast was right.

 

But this time he wasn’t right. That’s just not how this stuff works. Buuru sighed and looked into his boyfriend’s face. He was scowling, but it was a different kind of scowl than usual. If it made things a little easier for Raast, maybe Buuru could pretend this was just another bump in a very turbulent life together.

 

“You’ll still stay with me, right?” Buuru finally asked, making the younger man snap his attention back to him.

 

“Of course. I’m taking off work.”

 

“Raast-“

 

“You’re sick. I’m not going back to work until you’re better,” he was already typing messages into his communicator, “The krewe will understand, they always do.”

 

That got a chuckle out of Buuru.

 

“Always something isnt there?” He said, leaning back and smirking to himself.

 

Soon all of that would be behind Raast, the poor genius might actually get some decent rest. He deserved that at least, after putting up with Buuru’s crap all these years. Yes, the genius would be getting some well deserved time off soon enough.


End file.
